The U.S. Department of Education acknowledged that it diverted about $1 billion appropriated by Congress for specific education programs early in President Trump’s second term and left roughly $300 million expiring for education research it did not spend within the timeline. The paper trail points to broad reprogramming—shifting SEED-grant dollars to the American History and Civics program—and terminating many in-progress awards. Education advocates said the moves are unusual in recent decades, arguing the administration is using authorities to alter congressionally directed funding levels at a scale they have not seen before. They also said the redirected or lapsed dollars affect education research, data collections, technical assistance, and state support functions. In parallel, an education-research funding lapse risk has surfaced around the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). A coalition memo says IES is on track to lose $289 million by Sept. 30, including an estimated 82% reduction for special education research, based on OMB documents. For higher education leaders, the combined picture is a sudden narrowing of federal research and data capacity that universities and partners rely on for ongoing studies, evidence building, and student-support program evaluation.